Snap in fiber optic ferrule adapter

ABSTRACT

A fiber optic ferrule adapter for mating a multi-fiber optic ferrule and a multi-fiber optic connector includes a holder having a cavity where a multi-fiber optic ferrule is held therein, and a receptacle housing with an opening that allows the insertion of a fiber optic connector. The holder has a top opening for receiving the ferrule into its cavity; and two protrusions, which are respectively protruded from each interior side walls of the holder, for latching the ferrule in place inside the cavity. The holder includes a groove recessed on the interior walls of the cavity for catching a ridge on the ferrule so as to prevent any longitudinal movement of the ferrule inside the cavity. The cavity may include a slope next to an interface between the cavity and receptacle housing for allowing the sliding in-and-out of the ferrule at an angle to the top of the holder opening.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No.62/519,162 filed Jun. 13, 2017; the disclosure of which is incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material,which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fiber optic connectors and adapters,and more particularly, to fiber optic adapters for mating multi-fiberoptic ferrules and fiber optic connectors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern high capacity optical systems often utilize fiber optic ribbonsfor inter-system connection. As there are multiple connection points inan optical path, there are needs for mating two fiber optic ferrules ora ferrule to another connector. In the mating of two fiber opticferrules or a ferrule and a connector, the mechanical and opticalalignment is paramount. Slight misalignment can result in significantsignal loss, especially in the case of ferrules and connectors formulti-fiber optic ribbons and cables. Therefore, there is a need for anadapter that can hold and secure two fiber optic ferrules or a ferruleand a connector in alignment with precision. The adapter design shouldalso allow that installation of the ferrules and connectors that is easyenough for in-field assembly. Further, the adapter should be durable indesign and/or material for repeated installations and uninstallations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a fiber optic ferrule adapter formating a multi-fiber optic ferrule and a multi-fiber optic connector isprovided. The fiber optic ferrule adapter includes a holder having acavity where a multi-fiber optic ferrule is held therein, and areceptacle housing with an opening that allows the insertion of a fiberoptic connector. The holder has a top facing opening for receiving themulti-fiber optic ferrule into its cavity; and at least two protrusions,which are respectively protruded from each interior side walls of theholder, for latching the multi-fiber optic ferrule in place so as tosecure the multi-fiber optic ferrule inside the cavity of the holder.The holder further includes a groove recessed at the interior walls ofthe holder for catching a ridge on the multi-fiber optic ferrule so asto prevent any longitudinal movement of the multi-fiber optic ferruleinside the cavity. The holder may further include a slope next to aninterface between the cavity and receptacle housing for allowing thesliding of the multi-fiber optic ferrule at an angle from the top of thefiber optic ferrule adapter so as to ease the insertion into orextraction from the cavity of the multi-fiber optic ferrule.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described in more detail hereinafterwith reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a fiber optic ferrule adapter with a multi-fiber opticferrule inserted therein in accordance to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2a depicts the fiber optic ferrule adapter without the multi-fiberoptic ferrule;

FIG. 2b depicts its cross-sectional view from a plane cutting through acentral line along the optical axis;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view from a plane cutting through acentral line along the optical axis of the fiber optic ferrule adapterwith a multi-fiber optic ferrule being inserted into (or extracted from)the cavity 301 during installation (or uninstallation);

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view from a plane cutting through twoprotrusions of the fiber optic ferrule adapter with the multi-fiberoptic ferrule inserted therein;

FIG. 5a shows a perspective view of a ferrule removal tool in accordanceto one embodiment of the present invention along with the fiber opticferrule adapter;

FIG. 5b shows another perspective view of the ferrule removal tool alongwith the fiber optic ferrule adapter;

FIG. 6a shows a perspective view of a ferrule removal tool in accordanceto another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6b shows another perspective view of the ferrule removal tool alongwith the fiber optic ferrule adapter;

FIG. 7a depicts the fiber optic ferrule adapter encased in an optionalouter housing in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7b depicts the fiber optic ferrule adapter and the optional outerhousing before assembly;

FIG. 8a shows a perspective view of the fiber optic ferrule adapterinstalled with an optional mounting plate;

FIG. 8b shows another perspective view of the fiber optic ferruleadapter installed with the optional mounting plate;

FIG. 9a depicts the fiber optic ferrule adapter installed with theoptional mount plate inserted and secured in a connector panel;

FIG. 9b depicts a plurality of fiber optic ferrule adapters installedwith the optional mount plates inserted and secured in a multi-connectorpanel;

FIG. 10a depicts a fiber optic ferrule adapter with a multi-fiber opticferrule inserted therein in accordance to another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10b depicts the fiber optic ferrule adapter and the multi-fiberoptic ferrule before assembly;

FIG. 11a depicts a ferrule removal tool in accordance to anotherembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11b depicts the ferrule removal tool being used to release themulti-fiber optic from the fiber optic ferrule adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, apparatuses for mating two multi-fiberoptic ferrules and a multi-fiber optic ferrule with a multi-fiber opticconnector and the likes are set forth as preferred examples. It will beapparent to those skilled in the art that modifications, includingadditions and/or substitutions may be made without departing from thescope and spirit of the invention. Specific details may be omitted so asnot to obscure the invention; however, the disclosure is written toenable one skilled in the art to practice the teachings herein withoutundue experimentation.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 with amulti-fiber optic ferrule 200 being inserted therein. The adapter 100includes a holder 110 having a cavity for holding and securing themulti-fiber optic ferrule 200 therein and a receptacle housing 120 withan opening at the one end further away from the holder 110 that allowsthe insertion of a fiber optic connector. The holder 110 has a topfacing opening for receiving the multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 into itscavity, and two protrusions 113 a and 113 b, which are respectivelyprotruded from each interior side walls of the holder 110, for latchingthe multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 in place.

FIG. 2a depicts a perspective view of the fiber optic ferrule adapter100 without any multi-fiber optic ferrule being inserted. FIG. 2bdepicts its cross-sectional view from a plane cutting through a centralline along the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100.It can be seen that the holder 110 further comprises a groove 115recessed on three sides of the interior wall of the holder and a slope114 next to the interface between the cavity of the holder 110 and thereceptacle housing 120. In another embodiment, the groove 115 may berecessed on one side, which can be the bottom, or the two opposing sidesof the interior wall of the holder.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view from a plane cutting through acentral line along the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic ferruleadapter 100 with a multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 being inserted into (orextracted from) the cavity of the holder 110 during installation (oruninstallation). It can be seen that during the insertion or extraction,the slope 114 allows the sliding of the multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 atan angle to the top of the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 so as to easethe insertion or extraction of the multi-fiber optic ferrule. Once themulti-fiber optic ferrule is completely inserted and held inside thecavity of the holder 110, the groove 115 catches a ridge 201 on themulti-fiber optic ferrule and secures the multi-fiber optic ferrule inplace so as to prevent any longitudinal movement of the multi-fiberoptic ferrule along the longitudinal axis of the fiber optic ferruleadapter 100 inside the cavity of the holder 110.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view from a plane cutting through twoprotrusions 113 a and 113 b of the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 withthe multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 inserted therein. It can be seen thatthe two protrusions 113 a and 113 b latch the multi-fiber optic ferrulein place so as to prevent any up-down movement of the multi-fiber opticferrule inside the cavity of the holder 110.

In one embodiment of the fiber optic ferrule adapter as shown in FIG. 1,the protrusions 113 a and 113 b are in dome shape. In anotherembodiment, the protrusions 113 a and 113 b are in wedge shape.

In accordance to another aspect, the present invention provides aferrule removal tool 300 comprising two protrusions 301 a and 301 b asshown in FIG. 5a . It can be seen from FIG. 5b that the protrusions 301a and 301 b can be inserted into a through-holes 116 a and 116 brespectively located at the bottom the holder 110 of the fiber opticferrule adapter 100. The protrusions 301 a and 301 b are configured witha length long enough to reach inside the cavity of the holder 110 wheninserted fully into the through-holes 116 a and 116 b such that one canexert an upward pushing force on the multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 heldwithin the cavity of the holder 110. With an appropriate amount ofupward pushing force, the multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 is forced outand released from the holder 110.

In another embodiment, the ferrule removal tool 300 comprises oneprotrusion 301 as shown in FIG. 6a . In this case, the holder 110 hasone corresponding through-hole 116 as shown in FIG. 6b . Similarly,other embodiments of ferrule removal tools with three, four, five, etc.protrusions with corresponding number of through-hole in the holders arepossible.

Referring to FIG. 7a . In accordance to another aspect of the presentinvention, the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 may be encased inside anoptional outer housing 400 when a multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 is heldwithin the cavity 110. It can be seen from FIG. 7b that one embodimentof the outer housing 400 is formed by a top shell 401 and a bottom shell402 for sandwiching and holding the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 andthe multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 there in between.

Referring to FIGS. 8a and 8b . In accordance to another aspect of thepresent invention, the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 may be installedwith an optional mount plate 500. The mount plate 500 is installed onthe receptacle housing 120 of the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100. Themount plate 500 is further secured in a groove around the three sides ofthe receptacle housing 120 of the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100 mainbody, so to prevent any lateral movement of the mount plate 500 inrespect with the fiber optic ferrule adapter 100. FIG. 9a depicts thefiber optic ferrule adapter 100 installed with the mount plate 500inserted and secured in a connector panel 610; and FIG. 9b depicts aplurality of fiber optic ferrule adapters 100 installed with the mountplates 500 inserted and secured in a multi-connector panel 620.

Referring to FIG. 10a . Shown in the figure is a fiber optic ferruleadapter 700 with a multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 inserted therein inaccordance to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10bshows the fiber optic ferrule adapter 700 and the multi-fiber opticferrule 200 before assembly. The adapter 700 includes a holder 710having a cavity for holding and securing the multi-fiber optic ferruletherein and a receptacle housing 720 with an opening at the one endfurther away from the holder 710 that allows the insertion of a fiberoptic connector. The holder 710 has a front facing opening at the oneend distal from the receptacle housing 720 for receiving the multi-fiberoptic ferrule 200 into its cavity. The adapter 700 further includes aretention cap 730 for securing the ferrule 200 within the holder 710. Asshown in FIG. 10b , the cap 730 comprises an attachment means forattaching to the adapter 700 body. In one embodiment, the attachmentmeans includes two arms 731 a and 731 b with a hook or wedge on each ofthe arms 731 a and 731 b for interlocking with correspondingindentations or through-holes on the adapter 700 body, such that onceattached, the retention cap 730 holds the multi-fiber optic ferrule 200tightly within the holder 710 and prevents longitudinal movement of themulti-fiber optic ferrule 200 inside the cavity of the holder 710.

Working in conjunction with the fiber optic ferrule adapter 700 isferrule removal tool 800 as shown in FIG. 11a . The ferrule removal tool800 comprises a handle 820 and a frontend 810 with two extensions 811 aand 811 b at the end distal from the handle 820. As shown in FIG. 11b ,the ferrule removal tool 800 operates on the assembled fiber opticferrule adapter 700 by inserting the frontend 810 into the vacatedreceptacle housing 720 until the two extensions 811 a and 811 b come incontact with the retention cap arms 731 a and 731 b. By pushing on thehandle 820, the two extensions 811 a and 811 b push retention cap arms731 a and 731 b the detach the retention cap 730 from the adapter 700body, thereby releasing the multi-fiber optic ferrule 200 inside thecavity of the holder 710.

An ordinarily skilled person in the art can appreciate that by followingthe principal of the present invention, a version of the adapter formating a multi-fiber optic ferrule with another multi-fiber opticferrule can be derived without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention. Although the embodiments of the present inventiondescribed herein are related to multi-fiber optic applications, thepresent invention can be adapted to single fiber optic applications.Specific details may be omitted so as not to obscure the invention;however, the disclosure is written to enable one skilled in the art topractice the teachings herein without undue experimentation.

The foregoing description of the present invention has been provided forthe purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.Many modifications and variations will be apparent to the practitionerskilled in the art.

The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical application, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with various modifications that are suited tothe particular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fiber optic ferrule adapter comprising: aholder having a cavity for holding a multi-fiber optic ferrule thereinand a receptacle housing with an opening that allows the insertion of afiber optic connector, the holder having opposing interior side wallsspaced apart along a lateral axis, each interior side wall having ainner surface that faces generally along the lateral axis toward theopposing side wall; wherein the holder has a top facing opening forreceiving the multi-fiber optic ferrule into the cavity; two or moreprotrusions, wherein at least one is fixed on each interior side wall ofthe holder and protrudes inwardly from the inner surface of therespective interior side wall such that the protrusion has an outer edgealong the respective inner surface and an inner end that is spaced apartalong the lateral axis toward the opposing interior side wall from theouter edge and the respective inner surface, for latching themulti-fiber optic ferrule in place so as to prevent any up-down movementof the multi-fiber optic ferrule held inside the cavity of the holder;and a groove recessed on one or more interior walls of the holder forcatching a ridge on the multi-fiber optic ferrule so as to prevent anylongitudinal movement of the multi-fiber optic ferrule inside the cavityof the holder.
 2. The fiber optic ferrule adapter of claim 1, whereinthe protrusions are in wedge shape.
 3. The fiber optic ferrule adapterof claim 1, wherein the protrusions are in dome shape.
 4. The fiberoptic ferrule adapter of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are located atpositions distal from the receptacle housing.
 5. The fiber optic ferruleadapter of claim 1, further comprising a slope next to an interfacebetween the cavity and the receptacle housing for allowing a slidingin-and-out motion of the multi-fiber optic ferrule at an angle to thetop of the opening of the holder during an insertion or extraction ofthe multi-fiber optic ferrule into or from the cavity.
 6. The fiberoptic ferrule adapter of claim 1, further comprising one or morethough-holes located at the bottom of the holder.
 7. A ferrule removaltool for removing the multi-fiber optic ferrule from the fiber opticferrule adapter of claim 6, the ferrule removal tool comprising one ormore protrusion for inserting through the through-holes located at thebottom of the holder of the fiber optic ferrule adapter for exerting apushing force on to the multi-fiber optic ferrule held within the cavityof the holder to release the multi-fiber optic ferrule from the holder.8. An outer housing comprising a top shell and a bottom shell forsandwiching and holding the fiber optic ferrule adapter of claim 1 therein between.
 9. The fiber optic ferrule adapter of claim 1, furthercomprising a mount plate secured on the receptacle housing exterior formounting the fiber optic ferrule adapter in a connector panel.
 10. Afiber optic ferrule adapter comprising: a holder having a cavity forholding a multi-fiber optic ferrule therein and a receptacle housingwith an opening that allows the insertion of a fiber optic connector;wherein the holder has a front facing opening located at one end of theholder distal from the receptacle housing for receiving the multi-fiberoptic ferrule into the cavity; and a retention cap for covering theholder front facing opening, the retention cap comprises an attachmentmeans for attaching to the fiber optic ferrule adapter; and a grooverecessed on one or more interior walls of the holder for catching aridge on the multi-fiber optic ferrule so as to prevent any longitudinalmovement of the multi-fiber optic ferrule inside the cavity of theholder; wherein the groove is partially defined by a shoulder that facesthe front facing opening, the shoulder being configured to engage aproximal facing ridge of the multi-fiber optical ferrule to limitlongitudinal movement of the multi-fiber optic ferrule in a proximallongitudinal direction.
 11. The fiber optic ferrule adapter of claim 10,wherein the retention cap attachment means comprises: one or two armshaving a hook or wedge on each of the arms; and one or two indentationsor through-holes on the fiber optic ferrule adapter body correspondingto the hooks or wedges on the arms, arranged such that when attached,the hooks or wedges on the arms interlock with the indentations orthrough-holes.
 12. A ferrule removal tool for removing the multi-fiberoptic ferrule from the fiber optic ferrule adapter of claim 10, theferrule removal tool comprising: a handle; a frontend with one endconnected to the handle; one or more extensions located at one end ofthe frontend distal from the handle; wherein the frontend is configuredfor inserting into the receptacle housing to allow at least one of theextensions to push and detach the retention cap from the holder frontfacing opening.
 13. An outer housing comprising a top shell and a bottomshell for sandwiching and holding the fiber optic ferrule adapter ofclaim 10 there in between.
 14. The fiber optic ferrule adapter of claim10, further comprising a mount plate secured on the receptacle housingexterior for mounting the fiber optic ferrule adapter in a connectorpanel.